Helen A Sandmeyer

She was born September 22, 1917 to Harry J. and Mabel Arthur on the family farm near Spirit Lake, Iowa.

She married E. Parker “Sandy” Sandmeyer in 1937 at “The Little Brown Church in The Vale” in Nashua, Iowa. Her husband died in 1986. They had been married for 49 years. Her parents, her sister Esther Milholin and brother Harry J “Corky” Arthur also preceded her in death.

She is survived by her daughter, Constance “Connie” Henderson and son, John “Jack” Sandmeyer, both of Peoria, Granddaughters, Susan (Douglas) Krebs of Lake Lotawana, MO, Cynthia Henderson (Philip Festoso) of Des Plaines, IL, and Holly (Peter) Bourne of Chapel Hill, NC. Also surviving are her seven great-grandchildren

Natalie Krebs, Daniel Krebs, Alexander Festoso, Celeste Festoso, Samantha Festoso, Charlotte Bourne, and Jason Bourne. She was affectionately called

“GG” by them, and loved that nickname.

Other survivors include her sister-in-law, Jean Arthur, nieces and nephews Barbara Wise, Tom Milholin, Stephanie Ege, Louise Arthur and Harry J Arthur.

She was a lifelong volunteer at several charities. That work led to her being offered the job of Communications Director for Heart of Illinois United Way. It was a job she held for many years and loved.

She was always ready to learn more, and took courses at Bradley and ICC throughout her volunteer and working years. She was very interested in politics and world events, and kept up with the cultural changes that occurred over her 96 years of life.

A Peoria resident for many years, she and Sandy moved to Washington in 1969. She loved the town and her church, Crossroads United Methodist church.

But the tornado of last November destroyed her home, and she moved to Lutheran Hillside Village a few months later.

Her family will fondly remember her vitality, her devotion to family, her fashion sense and her great stories at family gatherings.

The family would like to thank the Doctors and staff at OSF for the wonderful care and guidance she and her family received, especially from Sharon Damron. And the pastoral visits from Lutheran Hillside Village and Crossroads United Methodist church meant a lot to her.

Private family services will be held at Davison-Fulton Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home in Peoria.

She will be interred with her husband in Resurrection Mausoleum in Peoria.

Memorials may be made to Crossroads United Methodist Church in Washington, or Heart of Illinois United Way.

Please view Helen’s obituary online at www.WoolseyWilton.com